Weighing-scale



muets-sheet 1.

(No Model.) a

J. B. AT'WATER.

WEIGHING SCALE.

N. PETERS. Pheeo-Lmmgmphcr. Washingwn. D. C.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Mdel.)

J. B. ATWATER.

WBIGHING SGALB.

Patented Feb. 14,1882.

.... M 2 .f .3 f om o0 m (No Model.) B Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. B. ATWATER.

WEIGHING SCALE.

No. 253,659. Patented Feb. 14,1882.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. ATWATER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WEIGHING-SCALE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 253,659, dated February I4, 18132.

Application filed November 152, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom fit may concern Be it known that I, JOHN B. ATWATER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county ot' Cook and State of Illinois, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Veighing-Scales; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptioiithereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and letters of reference marked thereon, forming a part of this my specification of said invention.

The object of my invention is the production of a cheap portable scale for wei ghin g purposes, and adapted for weighingeither light or heavy articles, as may be desired.

The nature of my invention will fully appear from the subjoined description when considered with reference to theaccompaiiyin g drawings, forming a part ot' this specication.

Figure l of the drawings is a side elevation of my improved scale. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the scale.

In the gures, A indicates a metal plate wrought into the form shown, its rear portion or lower limb, a, terminating rearwardly in a broad portion, o', by which it may be secured to any proper support for the weigliiig-scale.

At b the metal plate A is projected upwardly at right angles to its lower limb, c, thus forniing an upper stationary limb, A', and, as at b', is provided with a knife-edge fulerum-bearing, upon which a lever-beam, B, vibrates when being used when the several parts of the scale are in position, as represented in the gures. The upper portion of the limb A of the plate A is constructed of pieces of metal, as at a2 and a3, said pieces bein g set apart from each other, as in Fig. 3, to receive between them a steadywheel, C, as shown, and between which pieces the scale-plate g of the weighing-scale moves in the act of use. The lever-beam B also has a portion of its length composed of two pieces of metal, as at a4 a4 a4, said pieces being spread apart a sufficient distance to afford a proper level support for the bail f of the tray G in notches, as at j" and f2, in the upper edges of the pieces c4 a4 c4, while the under edges ot' said pieces are notched, as at a5, Fig. 1, and thus afford aproper seatfor the knife-edged fulcrumbearing b when the several parts ofthe weighing-scale are in position, as shown in the iigures.

rIhe upliierportion of the lever-beam B is provided with a scale-plate, g, in the form of an arc of a circle, and has for its axis of oscillation the edge ofthe knife-edgedwfulcruin-bearing b', on which the lever-beam B vilirates. This plate g is provided with upper graduated scale-lines, as at L, and with lower graduated scale-lines, as at L', the upper scale-liiies being, for example, spaced oli' to indicate a weight iii pounds from one to four, inclusive, and the lower lilies, as at L', to indicate a weight in pounds from one to twelve, inclusive, while the respective scale-lines L and L occupy the same length of the scale-plateg. Thus when the bail fot' the tray G is in the notch f', as shown in Fig. l, the weight ofan article placed upon the tray which does not exceed four pounds may beindicated by the upper graduated scale-lines, L, while an article whose weight does not exceed twelve pounds, but is greater than four pounds, may be indicated by the lower graduated scale-lines, L', when the bailfof the tray is taken from the notch f/ and placed in the notch f2 of the lever-beam B. In other words, when the tray is suspended at a point, as atj", upon the upperlever-arm,B2,of thelever-heam B, which point is of greatest leverage power, light articles may have their weightdesignated by the upper scale-lines, L, while the lower scale-lines, L, may be made to indicate three times the weight indicated by the upper scalelines with the same rearward movement ofthe scale-plate g when the tray is suspended in the notch f2 of the arm B2, the determined leverage proportions of the weighing-scale being adapted to such scaled lilies on the scale-plateg.

As indicated in the figures, W is a counterpoise-weight pivotally attached to the lower lever-arm, B', of the lever-beam B, as shown, in such manner as to freely vibrate upon its pivot-pin p, so that whether the lever-beam B shall be in its normal position, as indicated in solid lines in Fig. 1, with the weighing-scale at rest, or thrown into the positions indicated by dotted lines in said figure, the weight XV will always depend perpendiciilarly therefrom, as shown iii dotted lines W W2.

It will be seen that during the movements or oscillations of the scale-plate g in the act ot IOO- weighing-the upper limb, A, of the plate A remains stationary, the righthand edge ofthe part a3 serving as a pointer to indicate upon the scale-lines L and L the weight of the arti cle upon the tray G-that is to say, when the scaled plate g comes to rest and with the righthand edge, e, of the part a3 exactly registering with any given scale-line, the weight ofthe article upon the tray G will be designated by such line, and during this act the observer need only keep his eye fixed upon the stationary pointer or edge e, thus relieving the eye ofthe observer from a confusion of vision incident to a weighing-scale in which an oscillating or Vibrating pointer is utilized to indicate the weight upon a sealed plate which is stationary.

In order to give steadiness of movement to the scaled plate g and prevent its vibrations in the finishing act of weighing after the tray has been loaded, and so be enabled to more quickly weigh the article placed upon the tray G, I employ a wheel, C, having its axle t couned from lateral movement in elongated slots t of the parts a3 e3 ot' the upper limb, A', as shown. rlhe periphery of this wheel travels upon the upper edge ofthe scaled plate g with only the weight ot' the wheel resting thereon, and as its axle can rise and fall in the slots or openings t the wheel will accommodate itself to anyinequalities in the upper edge of the sealed plate g, and thus remain at all times in contact therewith.

In'weighing-scales in ordinary use which employ an are or circular sealed plate, the preliminary act of loading the tray produces an annoying vibration or swinging to and fro laterally ofthe scale-beam and scaled plate. This I obviate by a finger-key, F, which when at rest will be held in the position shownlclearly in Fig. l. rlhis key is passed through an arched spring, m, secured, as shown, to the parts a3 a3, which support the wheel 0, and `has its lower end passed through the top portion of said parts a3 as, and held in such relation -by pins v u passed through it above and beneath the spring, as indicated in the gures. By this means a pressure ot' the linger upon the key F will force the lower end of the key upon the wheel C, and as the tread ofthe wheel C upon the plate g is exactly in vertical line with and above the knife-edged fulcrum b', upon which the leverbeam Bis suspended, such pressure will at once lock the wheel, the plate g, and lever-beam in a ixed position, thereby preventing the swin giu g or oscillating movements of the scaled plate g and leverbeam B during the preliminary act of loading the tray.

. It will be seen that at'tcr the tra-y is loaded and the nishing act ot ascertaining its weight is being performed, the short, quick, and eyeconfusing vibrations ot' the plate g are prevented si m pl y'by the slight weight ot' the wheel C, while the greater lateral vibration or swinging of the plate and lever-beam in thepreliminary act of loading the tray is effected by applying pressure to the wheel U through the key F.

In this mannerI have produced a simple iuyexpensive weighing-scale particularly adapted for domestic use, for weighing light articles when the tray is suspended in the notch f of the lever-arm B2, and heavy articles when snspended in the notch f2 of said lever-arm.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States in a weighing-scale, is-

l. A roller-weight, C, which is self-adjusting to and acts as a brake upon a vibrating scaled plate of-a weighing-scale, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A pressure device in combina-tion with the roller-weight C, whereby the lever-beam B and scaled plate g may at will ofthe operator be temporarily held stationary, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN B. AT\VATER.

Witnesses:

E. T. PAUL, F. C. GIBBs. 

